Emerald Toxin
by NsaneJackSparrow
Summary: The Gua have a new way of killing off the humans.
1. Default Chapter

Eddie Nambulous woke up around ten A.M. on Saturday, August twelfth. He groggily   
booted up his computer and checked his e-mail. The usual junk had clogged up;   
twenty-three emails overnight. Out of the twenty-three only one looked interesting to him.  
Eddie opened it up. It read:  
  
To: Paranoid Times  
From: LFoster@uwm.edu  
Subject: Cade Foster  
Hello-  
My name is Linda M. Foster. I am the older sister of Cade Foster.  
I've read his 'journals' you've posted your web site. My brother was   
convicted of murdering his wife, as I assume you know. He and I were  
not close, but I believe as you do that he was innocent. Please help me   
reconnect with him if you can, for the past five months I've worried   
about where he's been and what he has been through.  
Linda M. Foster  
Professor of Astrology  
University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee  
  
Eddie was stunned at this. Why didn't he ever tell me he had a   
sister? He thought. He picked up his phone then called Foster who  
had been in a small town near San Diego, about fifty miles from where Eddie   
was parked, at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere.  
  
Ring Ring! Cade Foster had awaken from the ringing of the phone. He glanced around the room,   
remembering where he was at then he reached over and grabbed the phone. "Yeah?" He said  
into the phone. He didnt really need to say 'Hello' he already knew who it was.  
  
"Foster??? You awake man? You sound kinda out of it."  
  
"Yeah, I'm awake." Cade replied. Half awake was more like it.  
  
"I just got an email last night from a person you might know. Recognize the name Linda by any chance?"  
Eddie said, sounding a little pissed off.  
  
Cade sat up, shocked to hear that name. He hadn't seen nor heard from Linda in what seemed like ages.  
"I recognize the name. What did she have to say?"  
  
"She wanted me to help her 'reconnect' with you. Why didnt you ever tell me you had   
a sis?" Eddie asked.  
  
"Because it wasn't important. We lost contact a couple of years ago, I didn't   
think I'd hear from her again. That's why I didn't tell you about her." Cade answered.  
  
"Well, anyway, do you wanna have contact with her again? It's risky, she might   
be working for the government, or the Gua. Waddya think?" Eddie said not really sure  
about all of this. It could be a trap set by the Gua but it was up to Foster if he  
wanted to go along with this.  
  
Cade was quiet for a minute or two. Should he try to get in touch with her again or was it   
way to risky? "I think I'm going to leave here and come to you. Where are you at?"  
  
Eddie relayed to Cade where he had parked himself then he heard the familar sound of Cade   
just hanging up like he usually did. "I'm getting really tired of that." 


	2. 2

Aya appeared in the doorframe. She stood silently waiting. Joshua did not look up from the file in his hands, but began speaking, "Your reputation precedes you. You are quite a warrior for one so young. You will be missed on the homeworld."   
  
Aya remained at her post and responded, "As does yours. I have heard stories of the noble 'Joshua' since before I was walking. It will be an honor to serve at your side."   
  
Joshua stood up and crossed the room until he stood in front of the girl. He looked her in the eye and continued softly, "I am surprised they still teach the concept of honor. I had thought it had been passed up with all the other lofty ideals our leaders had once aspired us to."   
  
The girl continued staring straight ahead. "I am sure you will find me to be a shining example of the leaders' ideals. I am considered the best."   
  
"The best at what?"   
  
"The best of the acolytes, the best there is, the best-" she halted.   
  
Joshua let a slight smile play on his lips, "The best there ever was?"   
  
Aya turned her face to meet his gaze and blinked, but said nothing. Joshua walked back to the desk and asked her, "When do you think you will be ready?"   
  
Aya came back to attention, "This husk takes some getting used to, but I think you will find I am highly adaptable. I am fully prepared to track down subject 117."   
  
"117 is not your priority." Aya watched Joshua, "According to my orders, 117 is my only priority."   
  
"Who gives you your orders, Aya?"   
  
"You do, sir." He gave the girl one more glance before dismissing her. Aya exited down the hallway. Joshua picked the file up again. The most recent sighting of Gua Test Subject 117. Long gone from the vicinity. But sure to show up unexpectedly soon. That was the only thing predictable about Cade Foster... Joshua took the latest intel and headed off.   
  
Aya was looking around the place when saw Joshua heading out. Curious to know what he was up to she approched him. "May I ask where you are going or what you are doing?"   
  
Joshua continues walking as Aya falls in step with him. "You may go about your business and let me do the same." He's up to something, Aya thought. "All right." She stopped walking thenwaits for Joshua to walk a couple more paces away from her before she followed him outside.  
  
After Joshua exits he gets into his car, pulls out, and takes off for Foster's last known whereabouts. He watches in the rearview mirror as Aya's reflection gets smaller and smaller. He just knows she is going to be trouble.   
  
She stopped two feet outside the door when she saw Joshua drive away. "You better not be doing what I think you're doing Joshua!" Aya yelled even though he probably cant hear her. "Oh well there's one way to find out what you're up to..." she said to herself then walked back inside the building. Aya walked down the hallway then stoped in front a closed door. She looked up and down the hallway making sure no one was paying attention to her then she entered the room. She glanced around then shut the door "Lets see what you're up to..." She went over to the desk then sat down in a chair. Aya turned on the computer that sat on the desk and waited for it to boot up. After it's done she starts typing in a bunch of stuff. "Damn it!" She yelled when the computer had said all recent info had been downloaded and erased from this computer. "I'll find out...one way or another..." She stood back up, shuts off the comp then exits the room.   
  
Joshua gunned the engine and kept glancing at the GPS hooked up to the laptop on the seat. It was calculating a pattern for him to use to pin point the general area where he could find Foster. He knew events were heating up back on the homeworld, or they never would have sent Aya, but he had to stay true to his cause-even if it meant the ending of someone else's. He passed a sign advertising a diner up the road and considered stopping there to check out the local yokels.   
  
Joshua pulls over to the side of a dilapidated old diner and idles the engine. He looks down at the computer screen and then shuts it down. As he looks back up he notices a dejected looking brunette walking out of the restaurant. She has her head down and bumps right into a surly trucker who grabs her by the elbow. The girl looks up suddenly as he curses at her.   
  
LJ swung the camera around her neck and let the breeze wrap itself around her hair as she sped down the roadway. The convertible she had borrowed from Tom was a piece of heaven. Hannah wouldn't have approved. Cade, on the other hand, would have liked the thrill. However, that was the Cade she remembered. She had not seen or heard from her uncle in almost 1 1/2 years. LJ passed a sign welcoming her to California and pulled over when she saw a diner. It had been a long drive from New York and LJ was tired and hungry. She walked into the diner and took a booth in the corner. She did not like stopping but knew that the GUA did not know much about her yet to consider her a threat. A fact she had very carefully tried to preserve.   
  
"May I take your order ma'am"   
  
"A cup of coffee, black. Thank You." she said. A tall, dark figure rushed passed her. LJ reached for her camera and took a couple quick shots. She recognized the man as Joshua. GUA. The only problem was she was not sure if he knew her. There paths had crossed several times before her. LJ threw a couple bucks on the table and ran out the door. Her bag was hanging loosely by her side and as she reached the door of her car she dropped the keys on the floor.   
  
Joshua bent down and retrieved the keys, holding them out for her. He held a roadmap in his other hand. The striking girl with the sharp features etched on her angular face looked up startled. She gazed at him with dark eyes that hid any trepidation she may have felt from coming across a stranger in a parking lot. She took the keys from him. He deftly nodded and started for his own car.   
  
LJ glanced after the retreating figure of Joshua and then inserted the keys in the door of the convertible. She turned the key and opened the door to step in when she decided to play a gamble - "Excuse me, sir, I notice you have a road map. Could you tell me the quickest way into town. I'm afraid I'm not very good with directions."   
  
Joshua turned around and walked back slowly. He glanced down at the map and then handed it to the girl. "Then by all means take this one. I am sure it can lead you in the right direction."   
  
LJ took the map, thanked Joshua and watched his retreating figure as he headed for his car. Her uncle, Cade, must be pretty near or the Gua wouldn't have sent their finest after him. After she lost sight of him, LJ turned back to the convertible, got in the car and revved the engine a few times. She had to get to town before Joshua. It wasn't that Cade couldn't take care of himself. She knew he could but she felt protective of him because of Hannah. She quickly grabbed her cell phone out of her purse and called Linda. Her aunt had to know something.   
  
The phone rang several times but no one answered. LJ worriedly put her phone back in her purse wondering what had happened to her aunt. She hadn't seen her in years and didn't even know if she still existed. LJ turned the ignition and drove out of the diner. She did not like the circumstances that were unfolding. Linda, missing, Joshua hot on Cade's trail and herself diving further into the game. She turned on the radio to bide her time until she got into town. She still had another thirty minutes to one hour drive. A siren sounded behind her. "Damn!" she thought. "Just what I need, another speeding ticket."  
  
Joshua took his foot off the accelerator as he noticed the red and blue lights up ahead. Apparently it was pulling over a convertible. He pulled off on the shoulder and turned off the headlights. Then he clicked on the laptop and snapped it into the modem, expediently bringing up the National Police Scanner Switchboard.   
LJ pulled the convertible over and turned off the engine. A police officer walked up to her door and knocked on the window. LJ rolled her window down a crack and produced her ID and registration. "Do this a lot, ma'am?" he asked. LJ grimaced and sat stone faced staring out her window. "Can I go now?"  
  
"I'm afraid not, Ms. Stone. This car was reported as stolen."  
  
"Excuse me!"   
  
"Could you please step out of the vehicle." LJ grabbed her purse and camera and reluctantly stepped out onto the roadway. "If you just call New York, i'm sure we can clear this up in no time."  
The officer reported in to dispatch while LJ shifted her weight  
impatiently from one foot to the other. She briefly wondered what sort of exposure she could use to capture some gorgeous shots of the silver moonlight filtering through the trees before the static of the radio brought her back to her current dilemma. The cop started typing in her info on his computer console and looked up at her while waiting. "I'm sure there has been a mistake," she forced herself to smile.   
  
The cop did not break his expression as his monitor beeped and he read the screen. He got out of the car and handed her back her license, "You can go now,ma'am, sorry for the inconvience." LJ was a bit flummoxed, but decided not to question it. At least until she had put some distance between herself and the law. She thanked him and hopped back into the car and took off, seeing the squad car in her rearview mirror before she turned the corner. A moment later Joshua pulled up beside the cop car and got out. He went over to the officer who was in the front seat scanning onto his computer. He stood at the door and the cop glanced up. Josha reached his hands through the window and enclosing his hands around the man's chin and nape of his neck, he twisted hard.   
  
The snap of the vertebrae and the glossy eyes would have been a telltale clue if the body had not disintegrated a moment later. Joshua ripped off the printout of Lara Stone's prints and deleted the file. The address of the recipient was listed as unknown, but Joshua had an inkling. He got back into his car, turned on his headlights, and headed down the road in the same direction as the convertible. 


	3. 3

Two hours later Cade arrived to the place where Eddie had said he was at. He glanced around then entered the trailer.  
  
"Hey, ok, so fill me in on your sister, this might be another trap, so tell me about her." Eddie said the moment Cade walked in, acting a cross between pissed and nervous.   
  
Cade shook his head, he barley stepped foot inside and already with the questions. He walks over to the couch, drops his stuff on the floor then sits down, looking over at Eddie. "There isn't much to say about her. She's a couple of years older then I am. She stopped talking to me a couple of years ago. If she hasn't seen or spoken to someone in a long time she'll find a way of contacting them. If she does get a hold of that person she'll ask what have you been up to or that she's been worried about them but in reality she wants something. And the last thing I heard about her was she was at some university...Anything else you want to know about her, Eddie?"   
  
"Yeah, do you think she might be working for the Gua? It would be a perfect opportunity for them to lure you in." Eddie paranoidly said.   
  
"She might be working for them she might not be but I'm willing to take a chance to get in touch with her again..."   
  
"Okay dude, I'll email her back, but I gotta remind you this is a big risk you're taking." Eddie said getting worried about all of this...And so Eddie writes:  
  
To: LFoster@uwm.com  
From: Paranoid Times  
Subject: Re:Cade Foster  
  
Linda-  
Cade has consulted me and we have come to the conclusion that he would like to have communication with you. There are just these specifications:  
A) You will communicate mainly through the Internet.  
B) If you choose to meet face to face, it will not be in a public place, it will be far away from any law enforcement facilities or personnel.  
C) You will not tell any one of your interaction will Cade.  
D) You will speak through me, E. Nambulous.  
If these specifications are violated, the communication will stop.  
  
E. Nambulous  
  
He read it over to himself then clicked send. Eddie, very satisfied with himself, grabbed a Jolt cola and drank it like there was no tomorrow and said rather harshly, "Well, all we can do now is wait Foster and see if sister-deary is really sister-deary, not a Gua husk."  
  
"I know, Eddie." Cade said, a little annoyed with the warning, since he knew how big of a risk it is. He didn't need to be reminded as if he were a child... When Eddie started typing out the e-mail Cade's eyes fell to the floor and he stopped paying attention to what was going on around him. He started thinking about everything that had gone on in his life until Eddie brought him back to reality saying something about sister-deary being Gua or not. Looking back up and over at his Jolt drinking friend he asked. "You're angry arnt you?"   
  
"Why would I be angry? I'm not angry, I'm just, well, worried, paranoid...I gotta gut feeling this is a trap. But you know, I always have that feeling." Eddie replied right before his computer let him know he had mail waiting to be read. He opened it up, it read:  
  
To: Paranoid Times  
From: LFoster@uwm.com  
  
Mr. Nambulous~  
Thank you for getting back to me so promptly and extending contact with  
my brother. I find your exceptions fair. Please tell Cade  
that I miss him dearly and am overjoyed at making contact with him, even if it is only in cyberspace. Perhaps if I can regain his trust, he might agree to a tete a tete in the future. For now, I will adhere to your regulations.  
  
Thank you, E. Nambulous. Thank you.  
~L. Foster  
  
Before E-mailing Linda back, Eddie asks, "Hey Foster, you wanna say anything to your sis? She misses you, and hopes to regain your trust. Waddya wanna say?"  
  
"Yeah, Tell her I want to know what does she REALLY want..."Cade said.   
"And the answer to your question is I don't know but it just hit me that you sort of sounded a little pissed on the phone that's why I asked."   
  
Eddie just looked at Cade then put his attention back on the computer.  
  
To: LFoster@uwm.com   
From: Paranoid Times  
Subject: Re: Cade Foster   
Ok, this is what Cade asked me to ask you: What do u really want? And I have some questions of my own. Are you by any chance G.U.A. (Generally Unwelcome Alien)? If you are that, you would know, so I won't go into detail. Please reply. E. Nambulous   
  
An old rat trap car is driving along when fumes start spewing forth from the engine. "Great." The car sputters and dies as it's pulled off the road. A mumbling girl steps out. She sighs and looks around. Luckily, she's not fully alone. A metal camper with way too many antennas on it is parked not too far away. She debates on whether or not to go. She looks around and seeing no other choices, heads for the camper. "Get a hold of yourself. They wouldn't be way out here, and definitely not in a camper," she mutters softly. She looks somewhat nervous by the time she reaches what looks like Frankenstein's trailer to her. "Well, here goes..." She takes a deep breath and knocks.  
  
Cade quickly looks over at the door when he heard a knock come from it then looked back over at Eddie. "Expecting someone?"   
  
"Me? Nope, I get the idea you aren't either." Eddie said then just sat there glancing from the door to Cade. "You can answer it, I'm not getting up."  
  
She knocks again, wondering if she's out of luck and no one's here.  
  
"Thanks…" Cade muttered while standing up. He went over to the door then says loud enough for the person on the other side to hear. "What do you want?" Waits for a reply.   
  
Sighs in relief when she heard the guy's voice from the other side of the door. "Uh, hi. I'm really sorry to bother you, but my car broke down. Would you happen to have a phone I could use?"  
  
While Cade dealt with he person at the door Eddie went to checking his mail again.  
  
Mr. Nambulous- I do get the feeling your nickname is more than a mere hobby-I am sorry I have not been enlightened on G.U.A., but considering yours and my brother's forbearance on the matter, I am not apologetic for it-Please extend my wishes for a renewed relationship with Cade only as close as he prefers-I have missed my brother greatly and am saddened to think he may now be alone in the world, especially given the grievous passing of his wife-please extend to him my deepest regrets-LFoster   
  
"Hey Foster, you wanna ask your sis anything? I don't have anything so say."   
  
Cade tells the girl outside to hold on then looks over at Eddie like he's psycho. "No but I want you to look out that window and see if the person outside is alone."   
  
Eddie takes a quick and censored peek through one of the windows. "Yeah, as far as I can see she's alone, she's cute too, her car broke down? What luck" He says.  
  
Cade grabbed his cell phone, swings open the door then steps outside. "Here…" Hands the phone to her.   
  
She looks wary of him, but still takes the cell phone. "Um. . .thanks. Would you happen to have a phone book? Or a number for a good mechanic? Cause my car isn't going anywhere." Thinks, Yeah *my* car isn't really mine either. . .  
  
Shakes his head a little. "No, sorry, I'm not from around here..." Starts looking around, making sure no one else is going to come running out after him or something.   
  
She sighs and frowns. "Well, do you know how far it is to the nearest town?"  
  
"Maybe 20-30 miles away from here." Cade replied, still glancing around.  
  
Looks discouraged. "Oh. Well, do you think you can point me in the right direction? I'd hate to walk that long and realize I went the wrong way." Forces a grim smile.   
  
"I'll drive you into the nearest town..unless you want to walk." Cade said...he didn't wait for her to say something, starts to go back inside...stops walking, looks back at her and tells her she can come in if she wants, then goes inside.   
  
She shrugged then steps inside after the man. "Thank you so much."  
She looks at the other man in the trailer and smiles.  
  
"Hi." Eddie said to the girl, throwing a what-the-hell-do-you-think-you're-doing-letting-her-in-here-she-could-be-Gua glance to Cade.  
  
She's a little uncomfortable being inside, but still decides to be friendly. "Hi." She notices the look he gives his friend, and wonders if she somehow got him in trouble. She also notices all the equipment that the trailer holds. Government? she thinks to herself. She tells herself that that must be it, but her mind's warning sensors are still going off. *They* are part of the government now too. . .  
  
Cade glared at Eddie then says. "I need the keys to the caddie, I'm going to drive her into town..."   
  
"Knock yourself out." Eddie said, standing up, and throwing the keys to Cade.   
  
"Excuse me," she says to Cade, not knowing his name.   
  
"Yeah?" Cade caught the keys then looked over at the girl.  
  
"You might want this back." Holds the cell phone out to him and smiles.   
  
"Unless of course you're in the habit of giving expensive things to people for free."   
  
He looked at the cell phone she was holding out to him. Sorta smiles then takes the cell phone from her. "I don't have a habit of giving expensive things to people."   
  
"I didn't think so." Stays in an awkward silence for a little while, until she realizes something to say. "By the way, my name's Lex. I thank you so much for doing this." Holds out her hand.   
  
Cade thought about this for a second -give real name or make up another- "...Adrian..." he finally said then shakes her hand.  
  
Lex shakes back. "It's a pleasure." She had thought that he looked familiar, like from the news somewhere. That thought was dismissed with the fact that she didn't connect his face with anyone named Adrian. Her hands fall back to her sides. She looks at Eddie as if asking for his name too.   
  
Eddie says, right before Lex is about to leave, "If you were wondering, my name is Alex."   
  
Lex starts to follow Cade outside when Eddie talks to her. She stops for a moment and smiles. "Wow. That's neat. My full name is Alexandria." Turns and sees Cade already gone from view. "Well it was nice meeting you. Maybe our paths will cross again sometime." With that she steps outside and heads off to the car.   
  
Cade was already in the car when she walked over. Lex got in the car, now getting the feeling again that she knows him from somewhere. Once she was in they were off to the nearest town.  
  
Lex leans back in the seat watching the barren landscape pass by. Though her expression looks peaceful her mind still struggles with the two people she just met, causing her to worry. Thoughts ran through her mind in second intervals. So what if they *were* lying about they're names? Why would they be hiding something? Criminals? Cops? What if they're not? What if they're . . . Them? Maybe there is no city around here. Maybe they know who you are and are going to kill you. . .  
  
It was dull and quiet so Cade glanced over at Lex. "Thinking about something?"   
  
You are getting more paranoid by the day, will you cut that out?!?! She thought then turns to him and smiles. "Not really." A few seconds later she adds. "Thank you so much for doing this. Although that old car is near trash, all I think it needs is a new spark plug to hold me until I get where I'm going." Well at least it was only a partial lie. She has no idea where she's going to go. The GUA have her job, her home, her family. She's just been driving from one motel to another.   
  
Cade kept straight ahead. "Your welcome." he said then starts to think maybe she could be Gua, Maybe this is a trap...to late to turn back now they're already almost into town....   
She sees a small town slowly coming into view and her mind shuts up for now.  
  
Cade parks the car across the street from what looked like a parts store. He looked over at her. "If you want I can take you back to your car if you get what you need."  
  
Lex hops out and closes the door, then leans back in the window to talk to him. "Thank you *sooo* much. I'll be real quick." With that she turned and walked into the auto supply store.   
  
Cade looked over at Lex when she leaned in through the window. He nodded a little and said "Okay." then watched her walk away from the car and into the store.  
  
She was so happy that she wouldn't have to stay in this small town for very long, it was too hicksville for her. The store employee was a burly man wearing a cowboy hat who grunted in a general direction in response to her asking about the spark plug. She picked out the right one and returned to the front counter, never expecting what happened next. The man had his back turned to her watching the news. Just when she decided to come over, a story flashed about a dangerous criminal on the loose named Cade Foster. She dropped her wallet and very nearly dropped the part too when the picture flashed up.The man turned to her and gave an odd look. "Got a bad stomach for crime 'lil lady?" he scowled at her.  
  
She shivered and glanced out the window at the parked car with Cade's figure in it. "Yeah..." she shook her head to gain control again. She bent over and scooped up her wallet forking out a couple of bills onto the counter. The man took them and turned around to watch the set again, not even bothering to make change. She didn't notice or care. At the moment, she was wondering how she could turn him down without making him suspicious. Her mind started acting up again. What have you gotten yourself into!!! A murderer!! He *is* going to kill you! Once again she shook her head to gain control. Whoa, girl. Breathe. You are a damn government agent, start acting like one! Take the car ride back, maybe he won't do anything. If he does, you've got a gun in your holster and a knife down your boot. Deal with him. Her confidence was now boosted a little higher than before, so she decided to leave before her newfound paranoia could set in again. With a deep breath, she stepped outside and walked over to the car.  
  
While Lex was inside Cade started looking around, making sure no ones coming near him.Something didnt feel right but what? He shook his head as to shake away the on coming thoughts then minutes later he sees Lex walk out of the store and back over to the car.   
  
Lex opened the car door and hoped in, not betraying the knowledge of who he is in the least. "That's it."  
  
The man inside the store peeks out the window briefly then closes the blinds.  
  
"Alright...lets go then." Cade starts the car back up, looks back to see if any cars were coming, none were, makes a U-turn then drives back the way they came.   
She sighs softly as they pull out, pretty sure that she's safe for the moment, but happy that they'll soon be parting.   
  
Unfortunately for both of them, the store owner had recognized the man in the car as the man the news was just talking about. He picked up the phone and called the cops. "Yes. Is this the Ocotillo Police Department? This is Ted over at Ted's Auto Supplies. I have some information about a fugitive of the law.....Do you know the name Cade Foster? Yes, sir.....He just pulled out of here Eastbound with some female accomplice. Yes. Thank you, Sir. Bye." In a few minutes a cop car was deployed and sent in their direction.   
  
Back at the trailer:  
Eddie checks his e-mail once again then he sends an email to  
Linda:  
To: LFoster@uwm.com  
From: Paranoid Times  
Subj: Cade Foster  
  
Cade hopes to reconnect with you. We also want to extend our graditude for you, and hope you will continue to follow our guidlines. You must realize how careful we must be about with whom we speak to and what we say.  
  
E. Nambulous & C. Foster  
  
He rereads the email, then sends it. Wondering when Foster will be back, or even if he'll be back, he thinks to himself, What if that girl was Gua? This could be the perfect trap, helpless stranded girl just happening to have her car stop right here. The more he thought about it, the more paranoia grasped him. He decided to try and find out more about her on the internet. Typing in a government website, he searched for a girl matching her description...  
  
Ten minutes later Eddie recives this in his mail box:  
  
Dear Mr. Nambulous,  
  
I appreciate the caution you undertake on behalf of my brother. If only  
half of what you print in your small paper is factual, then I do fear  
for his well-being, and yours too. It certainly can be a thankless job  
watching out for others, this I know. So from one 'gatekeeper' to  
another, thank you on behalf of Cade for all your concern, lest my  
brother still be too self-assured that he can manage everything on his  
own. We surely know better.   
  
Awhile later Lex's car appears up ahead on the side of the road. "Is that your's up ahead?" he asked, motioning to it.  
  
"Yeah that's it." Lex replied, relieved to be leaving.   
  
Cade parked behind the hunk of junk that 'belonged' to Lex. "I can stick around if you want. Just in case it doesnt start up."  
  
Lex looked over at him. Her mind is telling her to make him go, but what if her car doesn't start? Regretfully she tells him. "Would you mind if I asked you to wait for a sec? I would like to see if it starts..."   
  
Cade shook his head alittle. "I dont mind, thats why I asked."  
  
Lex forces a decent smile and hops out. She walks over to her car and props the hood up."Hmm." She heads to the trunk and removes a toolkit from it. Juggling the tasks of holding the toolkit and opening the spark plug, she returns to the engine.In a few minutes time she has the new thing installed. She replaces the hood and gets behind the wheel. She mutters a prayer and turns the key.The engine starts for a moment, then dies, black smoke pluming from under the hood. She mutters some obscenities.  
  
Eddie, finding the site where he found Lex, he read through it. Oh man, I gotta tell Cade! He thought. Then saved the information to a database and called Cade.   
  
Cade grabbed the cell phone. "Yeah, Eddie."  
  
"Foster?" Eddie whispered over the phone, "I think you'd better know something..."   
  
"I'm listening." He told Eddie. "And why are you whispering?"  
  
"Foster, its that gal, um, Lex is her name, right? Well, I did a lil researchand& it turns out that her name is Lex Jones, and man is she one tough bitch. It looks like shes part of Bounty Hunters USA or something. Man, she's trained to be something of a superhero. Dump her ASAP, you could be getting yourself in a hell of a lot of trouble" He says this time in a more normal voice.  
  
Lex steps out of her car and walks back to Cade's. "Well that's it. It's totally shot." She notices that he is talking on the phone, but doesn't say anything.  
  
Cade listens to everything Eddie has to say. He then sees Lex starting to approach the car. "Gotta go," hangs up on Eddie like he normally does. He then looks over at Lex, starting to think about what he was told over the phone. If she is who Eddie says she is then why hasn't she done anything..."Want me to take you back into town…?" Thinking maybe he can drop her off in town, go back to where Eddie is then they can both get the hell out of here before someone recognizes him or anything else can happen.  
  
Lex smiles a little nervously. "If it's alright with you. I'm so sorry, C..." Stops herself realizing what she said, too late and shuts up.  
  
Cade stayed quiet for a minute. She knew who he was and yet she never spoke up. "You know who I am don't you?"   
  
God, you've been away from your job for too long! Her mind screamed. She swallows. "Yeah," pause, "I do."   
  
"Did you find out because of what you've heard on the news or because of your job?" He figured if his somewhat secret is out she might as well spill about herself.  
  
"Because of. . ." She stops. "How did you know about my job?"  
  
"I have ways of finding out things, now answer my question."  
  
She eyes him suspiciously. "I knew *of* you from my job. I didn't know your face until I went to buy the   
spark plug. You were on the news."  
  
"Perfect." He said under his breath. "Was this a set up? 'Cause if this is I'm not going down with out a fight"   
  
"Look do you want to know the truth?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, I want to know the truth."  
  
"I was just trying to get out of here. I won't do anything to you if you promise the same. I myself am running." Lex sighs and looks down.   
  
"I wont do anything unless you do something first." Cade said still keeping his eyes on her. "Why are you running? or should I ask what are you running from?"   
  
Lex laughs softly. "I don't think you'd believe me. I hardly believe it myself." she relied.  
  
"I think I will believe whatever you tell me."   
  
"Oh yeah. Well, this just may tax your understanding. Someone tried to kill me a few months back. She was me, literally. We could have been identical twins. Well, during our encounter, we both had weapons. I, not being the type to try and kill unless necessary, shot her in the shoulder. She *healed*! I mean fully!" Shivers at the memory of this. "And now she's living my life. . ." Looks up at him. "I know that sounds stupid and impossible. You probably think I'm a nut. . .So why did you murder those people?"  
  
Cade sighed, knowing sooner or later she'd ask that question. "I didn't kill my wife and I didn't kill anyone else." wonders how many times he's said that. "The person you described is part of an alien race. THEY killed my wife not me, I would of died for her..." trails off, getting tired of having to explain this over and over to people.  
  
She frowns. "I'm sorry about your wife then. I believe you about being innocent if it helps you feel any better. There were things about your file that never quite made sense. You never seemed like you were running for one. The places you went seemed so sporadic that it wouldn't have made sense for you to just be going there for no reason. But aliens?" Shakes her head. "I knew the world was in trouble but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that aliens were the cause. . ."  
  
"I know its hard to believe but it's the truth."  
  
"Well, I guess I have to. I know she wasn't human. . ." Smiles. ". . . And you're the only thing keeping me from a 30 mile walk...I was actually supposed to bring you in. Everything makes a little more sense now though. If these aliens are really after you, then I assume that they would want one of there people to be in my place instead of me considering I would bring you to jail, not to them."   
  
"Not IF they ARE after me and they'll do whatever it takes to capture me.... And if they are after you theres no place to hide they'll track you down and do whatever they think needs to be done with you."   
  
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. You seem to be hiding pretty well." Lex said then looks up, the sound of a siren being carried on the wind.  
  
"I'm not trying to hide. I'm tracking them down just like they are trying to track me down." Phone rings yet again, grabs it and answers it. "Yeah?"  
  
"Foster, man am I glad to hear from you. That chic, Lex? I got this lil problem with her, can you put her on the phone? I know this sounds weird, but I have a hunch."   
  
Cade was confused by this. What did he need to talk to her about? "Yeah, hold on." he told him then hands the phone over to Lex after she got in. "Here, someone wants to talk to you."   
  
Lex was just as confused as well. "Um, hello?" she said after taking the phone from Cade.  
  
"Hello?"   
  
"Alex, right?" Lex asked.  
  
"Ok, we made up our names but I bet you've figured that out by now. But that's not what I want to talk to you about. I found out about you on the GBH website, now this might be a stretch but do you know why they've marked you as a dangerous killer thats killed five people, not to mention your partner? If it's for the reasons I think it is, then we should work together. You're a fugitive from the law right?"   
  
"Yeah. I just explained that to Cade. And what do you mean killed five   
people and my partner? Bounty hunters don't have partners. . ."  
  
"OK, let me explain, I was on the GBH website and this lil message popped up saying there was a reward for information leading to your capture. The person said you were to be considered armed and dangerous, and killed five people. Do you recognize the email address 451@gbh.com That's the address they left if I had any information."   
  
Cade listened to Lex's half of the conversation then spoke up. "Tell him we're coming back right now." He starts the car up then drives back to where Eddie is.   
  
"Yeah, that's my agency email." Thinks about it for a moment. "Dear God...I think I know..." Stops talking when Cade talks to her. "Cade says we're coming there."  
  
"Ok, im gonna try and track down where the message came from. Later" Eddie said then hung up.  
  
"Bye." Lex smiles and hangs up. She sits sideways in her seat so that her head is resting on the seat back. Squints for a moment, wondering if she's seeing things. Realizing she's not, she presses *69 to get ahold of Eddie. While she's waiting for him to pick up, she looks over at Cade. "You better hurry..."   
  
Cade glanced over at her then asked "Why?"  
  
Lex gestures to the road behind them, flashing lights are just barely becoming visible. "Cops." Hears Eddie pick up. "Hi. It's Lex. If it's possible, you better get that thing ready to move...we're being followed."  
  
"Uh...okay ditch them then get back here then we'll all leave this place." Eddie told her then hung up.  
  
Lex hung up then looked over at Cade and told him what Eddie had told her. She then leans over the seat into the back and grabs a black backpack that he probably didn't even notice she had.   
  
Cade glanced in the rear veiw mirror, this wasnt good. "Damnit...Whats in there?" he asked when he saw her pull a black pack from the back.  
  
"A lot of useful things the agency gave me when I joined." She answers then pulls out some funny looking gun.  
  
"What are you doing?" Cade asked when he saw the gun. "Going to give them a reason to call for more backup?"  
  
"Calm down. I already told you, I don't kill people. It's only a tranq gun." Loads it."The stuff inside is nicknamed InstaDown. As far as I know, the only people that have it are government agents and very rich criminals. You see there is no way that you can get back up from this stuff. People can build immunities to other toxins used to put you to sleep. Not with this stuff. It causes so much pain that as a reflex your brain cuts off consciousness. Cool huh?"   
  
"Oh yeah," Foster replied saracticly. "Just don't ever shoot me with it."   
  
"Well, of course I won't! You're the one driving." Smiles and gives him a joking look, then pulls out a laptop. She flips it open and types some things in. Lex grumbles at what popped up on the screen. She accesses 451@GBH.com and deletes the mail pertaining to her.   
  
Cade didnt say anything just takes a quick look at her after he hears her mutter something after she got done typing away on the laptop. "See something you dont like on there?"   
  
"Just some mail about places I've been before here. All gone now." She closes the laptop and glances over her shoulder. "Damn, he's gaining on us. . ."   
  
"We cant keep going for much longer." Cade said as he glanced at the gas gage. "We're going to run out of gas soon."  
  
Lex sighs. "Then it looks like he's in for a nap..."   
  
"Looks like..." slows down and then pulls over to the side of the road...   
  
She hides the gun at her side so that when the cop walks up he won't see it. "Open the back windows..."   
  
Cade nods his head once then opens the back window. "Its open." watches the cop in the mirror.   
  
Lex waits patiently as the cop gets out of his car and walks over to their's. "License and registration," he scowls.   
  
"What seems to be the problem...officer?" He asked even though he knew what the problem was, while handing the officer one of his fake licenses. Isnt even going to try to look for anything in this car...   
The cop doesn't even look at the license. "Could you please step out of the car Mr. Foster?" The cop steps back enough for the door to open, right where he needed to be. Lex draws her weapon and shoots him before he can even go for his gun. He clutches the dart then his eyes close and he collapses. Lex gives Cade a look.   
  
"Good shot, now help me put him in the grass." Cade gets out of the car, picks up the fake license that had fallen to the ground and shoves it back into his pocket. Stands beside the now passed out cop, waiting for Lex to come out.   
  
Lex steps out and walks over to the crumpled man, picking up his shoulders. Cade grabbed the dude by the ankles then starts to drag his ass into the grass.   
  
Lex and Cade both drop the guy in the grass then walks over to his car. Then she goes over to the police car, closes the door and tuns the siren off. She walks back over and gets in the caddie.   
  
Cade walked back over to the drivers side of the caddie while she did was she was doing then gets back in.   
  
"How long is he going to be out?" Cade asked before driving them back to Eddie.  
  
Lex looks back as the cop car, watching it grow smaller and smaller the more they moved away from it. "An hour or two. It wasn't a large dose." She yawns softly, having driven all night and not slept. She nods and sees the trailer ahead. "Eddie. . ." She smiles softly.   
  
Cade drove up beside the trailer, parks then gets out and heads inside the trailer.  
  
Lex puts the gun and the laptop back into the bag and steps out of the car. She glances over at Cade then takes a nervous glance around before shouldering her pack and following him inside.   
  
"Oh man am I glad to see you guys! I thought you were dead for sure!" Eddie exclaims as Lex and Cade walk in, probably the happiest hes been all week.  
  
Lex smiles. "Aww, happy to see you got out okay too. Us? Dead? Ha!" Being a little conceded aren't you? Her mind tells her as she pretends to have not been afraid at any point of time since she'd met them.  
  
"We are dead Eddie, You're just dreaming right now." Cade said sarcaticly as he walks over to the couch and sits down. "Catch." Throws Eddie the car keys.   
  
Lex stands glancing around, thinking that she would love to have a trailer like this. Recognizes a lot of stuff that a normal person would just pass by as junk, but she knows better. She also notices a lot of contraband equipment and smiles. "This is a really cool place."   
  
"Thanx" Eddie said, smiling slightly at Lex. "Now, getting down to a more serious business, what are we going to do about all this? I mean, Lex, you're wanted by the GBH, and Foster, you're wanted by the Gua, the law. And as I understand, by listening very closely at my surrondings, there was a cop car's siren having a field day, and just my guess, but it was chasing you? Now I don't wanna know what you did to the officer, but they most likely radioed in to his precinct and now the whole world knows Cade Foster and female accomplice are here, in the middle on where, wherever we are."  
  
She listened as Eddie spoke, but was still in a world of her own looking around at the things in his trailer. She caught the end of his speech and spoke up. "Ocotillo. The town we were is was Ocotillo, I saw it on a sign." Lex comes out of her lala land and realizes a few moments later by the looks she is given that he hadn't really cared and that hadn't been the point of his speech. "So what do you propose? We leave?"   
  
"That's probably the only thing to do," Eddie said, glancing for Foster's approval, "Theres a road going north about a mile west. I'll go start the caddie, you guys should, I dunno, make a plan or something." Eddie is about to leave the trailer when he shouts back at Lex, "And sorry, guess you'll have to live without your broken down car." then walks out of sight.  
  
Lex watches Eddie leave and smiles slightly at his last comment. She turns to Cade. "It wasn't my car..." Laughs softly.   
  
"Should have guessed it wasn't yours."  
  
Blushes. "Well the guy used to date my mother a while back and hit her once. He moved on and got married twice. His current wife is missing. It's the least I'll do to him. If I ever get my job back, a little research is going into him." Smile. "Don't worry though. The next one I get won't be as bad... and I'll get it from another really bad man." Has a half joking half serious grin.  
  
She feels somewhat uncomfortable here, like she doesn't belong. She's quite sure that Eddie has his doubts about her being here and that Cade probably only let her stay cause she was pathetic. After nearly being knocked over when the trailer goes over a bump, she sits on the ground where she had been standing.   
  
Cade sat there staring off into space until they had hit a bump. He looks around then looks down at Lex sitting on the ground now. "Don't want to fall over?"  
  
"Nah, I wouldn't want to hurt the floor." She smiles a little.   
  
Cade smiles a small smile. "I don't think you could..."   
  
Lex smirks. "Yeah you're probably right, but who knows. Maybe I'm a big strong person in a wimp costume."   
  
Cade just looks at her not saying a word.   
  
The rocking of the trailer is quite relaxing and she nearly nods off before she hears a phone ringing somewhere near her. Her head pops up and looks around. She grumbles and pulls her pack off of her back. Reaching inside, she extracts a ringing cell phone and presses on. "Hello?...Je sais. Je suis désolé...Arnaud, ne hurlez pas à moi...J'ai eu un certain ennui avec ma voiture et un officier de police...Oui... Je suis avec quelqu'un qui peut m'aider. Je vous appellerai encore bientôt. Au revoir." She hangs up and looks down, not quite ready for the face that Cade is probably giving her.   
  
Cade sat there staring at Lex wondering what the hell she is saying. He waited for her to end her call before asking. "What was that all about?"  
  
She looks up at him. "That was my friend Arnaud. I was supposed to be on my way to him. He got worried when I didn't show." Shakes her head and laughs a little. "I completely forgot about him."   
  
"Ah, its not nice to leave people hanging." Cade said as he layed down.  
  
"I'll try and remember that."  
  
Silence fell over the both of them. Cade had fallen asleep and Lex was on her way to lala land herself. 


End file.
